Alcohol and Kids: 13 Facts That Could Save Their Lives

How much of what kids learn from their friends about drinking is false? Lots.

Kids know pretty much everything about anything. Just ask them. But just because they think they know everything about drinking doesn’t mean they actually do.

Summertime is fun time for plenty of teens who revel in the freedom from school books and exams. However, it can also be the time when kids step it up in terms of alcohol consumption. Some of it can be harmless fun, but how much do your kids really know about drinking, and how much of what they know is actually false?

You and your kid should check out out these 13 facts about alcohol that can be the difference between life and death:

Boys Can Drink More Than Girls 1 of 13

Men can usually drink more than women without actually getting drunk. Since men tend to weigh more, alcohol is less concentrated in their bloodstream and will be more dilute in their bodies. So, a girl who tries to keep up with a boy who weighs more than her will have a much higher blood alcohol concentration.

It Doesn’t Take Much to be Legally Drunk 2 of 13

Being legally drunk means having a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent or higher. Depending on the drinker's body weight and gender, it's not hard to reach that level quickly — sometimes just two drinks in an hour will do it.

Coffee or Cold Showers Will Not Sober You Up 3 of 13

Time is the only cure for being drunk. Alcohol in the bloodstream needs to be processed by the liver. Figure it take about an hour for a single drink to make it all the way through the process in your body. Coffee will not make you sober, although it can dangerously make you feel more sober.

Drinking On a Full Stomach Will Make You Less Drunk 4 of 13

When mixed with food, alcohol takes longer to absorb. Food helps slow the rate at which alcohol enters the bloodstream, and having a stomach full of food might help you decide to drink less because the need to be full of something has already been met.

Tolerance for Alcohol Varies Person by Person 5 of 13

Some people simply hold their liquor better than others. However, a tolerance level is an indication of how you feel, not how drunk you actually are. Having a high tolerance might seem like a brag-worthy feat, but it can actually be considered a significant risk factor for alcoholism.

Driving After Just One Drink is Not OK 6 of 13

No amount of alcohol is OK if you're driving, as any amount can affect your ability to perform well behind the wheel.

“Beer Before Liquor, Never Sicker” — False 7 of 13

What affects your body is the amount of alcohol consumed. Period. In what order you consume your drinks will have no bearing on how you'll feel later that night or the next morning.

Drinking in High School Will Not Help Avoid Alcoholism Later in Life 8 of 13

Just because a parent has given permission for a kid to drink doesn't mean the kid will drink less later on in life. In fact, studies have shown drinking at a younger age makes a person more likely to drink more later on and increases their risk for alcohol problems.

Light Beer Does Not Necessarily Mean Less Alcohol 9 of 13

The malt and other ingredients in the recipe, as well as the length of the brewing process mostly determine the color of a beer. Beers range from 4-7 percent alcohol. Some dark beers, like Guinness stout, are actually on the low end of the alcohol spectrum.

Hard Liquor Will Not Make You Drunker 10 of 13

Twelve ounces of beer equals five ounces of wine equals one shot of 80-proof liquor — all of which contain half an ounce of ethanol. Hard liquor only makes you drunker if you drink more of it.

Alcohol Does Not Destroy Brain Cells 11 of 13

While alcohol may not kill brain cells, it does affect the way brain cells communicate with one another. And chronic drinking can lead to neurological problems and mess with your memory.

image-24 12 of 13

Passing out from being drunk isn't necessarily a good thing to get rid of the bad feelings. Alcohol can continue to be absorbed even after falling asleep, which can lead to a fatal overdose. People can aspirate their vomit and choke to death in their sleep. Someone who passes out after drinking shouldn't be left alone. And if some is passed out and their breathing is slow or irregular, their skin turns pale or blue or if they have seizures, medical attention — like calling 911 — should be sought immediately.

Alcoholism Runs in Families 13 of 13

If you have an alcoholic in your family, you are at a higher risk of becoming one yourself. If the people in your family with the drinking problems are the same gender as you, your risk is even higher.

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